Categories Galactic Heroes Warduke Aayla Secura Things from my collection

05/03/2008 Indiana Jones Kenner Convoy Truck & Hasbro Convoy Truck Comparison & Review

Next up is a Indiana Jones Kenner Convoy Truck and Hasbro Convoy Truck Comparison & Review. WARNING! It is pretty picture intensive so make sure you give it a long look through.

Back in 1983 we were first introduced to the Convoy Truck in the original Kenner Indiana Jones line. It is a pretty tough vehicle to get these days and command a pretty hefty sum to pick up. I heard one time in my toy travels that one reason it was so hard to find is it the only time this particular German truck was made in 1:18 scale making it desirable for WWII 1:18 collectors. I am lucky enough to have both a loose example and a MISB sample to compare to the new Convoy Truck recently released by Hasbro.

The packaging size of both boxes is very similar. One major difference in the box design is that the Kenner truck has the same image on the front and back of the box. I was a bit perplexed by the new box when I saw it on store shelves because it has two layers of cardboard on the front giving it a bit of a 3D look to it. It wasn't until I opened it did I realize this is because the inner tray pulls out to make a backdrop display with. I choose not to do this because then I would be left with a box with two big holes on the front and I plan on keeping this box as is. It is a nice touch for a new way to display the toy but I wasn't very interested in it. While I like the overall look of the new Hasbro box, I think I am still fond of the original design.

While the trucks look very similar at a quick glance, the new one is slightly larger than the original. It also has more details to it which shouldn't be unexpected with a newer toy. I am very happy to say that the new truck is quite a sturdy toy where as the vintage one is pretty fragile. I don't think the vintage one is necessarily fragile because of its age but was fragile from the start. It is not uncommon to see a loose one with something on it broken. It is a real draw back with it.

Like the original it features a removable rear bed covering and like the original, it doesn't stay on very well. There are little studs that fit into the bed but they aren't very deep and it can be bumped off fairly easily. The bed color of the new one is a bit bright for my tastes as well.

Also like the original it features a drag Indy behind on a whip feature. This feature doesn't work so well on my original and that might be because of the fragile nature of the toy. It works much better on the new one. You just pull out the whip and drag Indy behind. The trailer hitch is a switch so you can either drag Indy in one position or when you flip it into the other position, the whip will wind back up as the wheels turn.

A new feature on the Hasbro truck is a break away front grill. Pushing the hood ornament releases the grill so Indy can fall.

There is one other feature I didn't take a picture of because I simply could not get it to work for me. There are grooves along the outside of the bed you are supposed to be able to put figures feet in so figures can ride along on the side. I could not get any of my German soldiers to stay put using them.

I can only give this truck a *** 1/2 out of five star rating. It is a faithful redesign of the original toy with some new features. It isn't perfect but good enough for me. It is much more durable than the original as well so it should hold up to play. With the rest of the toys that have come out, you can recreate great scenes from the movies!